Turning 18 is known as the year when you can finally exercise your right to vote. But who exactly is allowed to vote? Why is it important to vote? Why don’t people vote? 

     According to the United States website sometimes your eligibility on voting depends on your state. For example, many states require one to register to vote before a specific deadline. Failing to do so can cause inability to vote. However, in North Dakota does not require voter registration.  

     In addition, some people with felony convictions cannot vote but the rules vary by state. 

     The website also states if you are a U.S. citizen who is 18 before election day and meet your states residency requirements you may vote. The residency requirements per state vary. There are some exceptions. 

  Non-citizens of the U.S. cannot vote even if they are legal residents,  

     There is no official amendment stating explicitly that there is a right to vote. Although the U.S. constitution bans the restriction of voting based on race, sex and age, with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 it does not explicitly and affirmatively state that all U.S. citizens have a right to vote.  

      According to the official U.S. voting is referred to as a “privilege”. Saying if you have the ability to vote it is important that you express your right to do so. 

  National Geographic supports this claim in one of their articles stating “If you ever think that just one vote in a sea of millions cannot make much of a difference, consider some of the closest elections in U.S. history.” 

     The election of George W. Bush and Al Gore in 2000 was very close and came down to just a few hundred votes in Florida. In fact, Bush won by exactly 537 votes which is winning by .009 percent. 

     Even in our most recent election in 2016 of Donald Trump versus Hillary Clinton Trump won due in a close electoral college win. Clinton won the popular vote by almost 3 million votes however those states didn’t have a high enough concentration of electoral votes, which led to her ultimately losing the election.